Small clock



Dec. 3, 1957 H. STEIMANN 2,814,927

' SMALL CLOCK Filed April 4, 1956 United States Patent SMALL CLOCK Hans Steimann, La Chaux-de-Fonds, Switzerland Application April 4, 1956, Serial No. 576,136

3 Claims. (Cl. 58-53) The present invention relates to a small clock. This small clock is characterized by the feature that its clockwork, provided with a back and with a glass or crystal, is located in a surrounding member in the form of a split frame, the portions of this frame separated by the split being introduced into a base member which presses them one toward the other, in such a way that the frame acts resiliently on the work for holding it in place.

The annexed drawing shows, by way of example, two embodiments of the invention.

Figure l is an elevational view of a square small clock provided with a circular clock-work;

Figure 2 is an exploded perspective view of the same small clock;

Figure 3 is an elevational view of another embodiment of the small clock; and

Figure 4 is a side elevation of the clock in Figure 3.

The small clock represented in Figures 1 and 2 comprises a clock-work 1 surrounded by a metallic ring 2 provided with two peripheral recesses 3 which are adapted to receive the lateral parts 4a and 5a of two caps 4 and 5. These two caps are made of a transparent plastic material, the first one constituting the glass or crystal of the work and the second one its back. When the two caps are mounted on the ring 2, they form with it a cylindrical assembly adapted to be introduced into a cylindrical aperture 6 provided in a surrounding member 7, likewise made of plastic material. This surrounding member, which constitutes a frame, is split at 8 and is provided, at the place of the split, with a radial hole 9 for the passage of a winding stem 10 having a winding crown 11. Owing to the split 8, the frame 7 is slightly resilient making it possible to introduce easily the work into the aperture 6. Once the movement is located in the frame, the winding stem 10 is put into place and locked by a setting lever screw, not shown. Then the caps 4 and 5 are introduced into the aperture 6 while engaged in the recesses 3. A base 12 of the small clock is formed having two extensions 12a for engaging portions 7a of the frame 7 adjacent to the split 8. These extensions 12a accordingly press on the frame and urge it to act resiliently on the work and its caps, for holding these three members together and for holding the assembly in place in the frame.

It is to be noted that portions 7a of the frame 7 are each provided with a recess 13 of such configuration that they are engaged, like a tenon, between the two extensions 12a which are each provided with an inclined face 14 so as to form a mortise. The frame 7 is assembled to the base 12 by moving these members one into the other, the movement being parallel to the axis of the clock-work. For allowing this displacement, the rear part of the base is formed having a slot 15 for the passage of the winding stem 10. When the small clock is assembled, the crown 11 is then located under the base 12, in a recess of the base.

As illustrative of alternatives, the frame and the base could be made of metal instead of plastic and the back 5 of an opaque material. Ring 2 could be made of plastic material. The glass 4 could be attached initially to the clock-work or to the frame 7. The plastic material of the frame and of the base could be transparent or opaque.

In the modification represented by Figures 3 and 4, the frame 16 surrounding the clock-work 17 is split at 18. Base 19 has two extensions 19a pressing against the portions of the frame 16 adjacent to the split 18. The faces 20 of these extensions 19a engaging the frame 16 are parallel to each other, so that the assembling of the frame to the base is performed by moving them relative to each other in the direction of the plane of the clock-work 17. The base 19 is provided with a hole 21 for the passage of the winding crown, not shown.

One could provide locking screws in the extensions 19a which screws would secure the frame 16 thus to prevent it from moving with respect to the base.

What I claim is:

1. In a small clock, a clock-work, a ring surrounding said clock-work, two peripheral recesses in said ring, a cap shaped back engaging one of said recesses, a cap shaped crystal engaging the other of said recesses, said ring constituting with said two caps an assembly, a surrounding member constituting a frame in which is located said assembly, a split in said frame whereby said frame is resilient, a base, and means whereby said base engages portions of the frame close to said split, the whole in such a way that said portions of the frame are pressed one toward the other by said base, so that said frame acts resiliently on said assembly for holding it in place and for holding its elements together.

2. In a small clock, a clock-work provided with a winding stem and a winding crown, a back for this clockwork, a crystal for this clock-work, a surrounding member constituting a frame in which are located said clockwork, back and crystal, a split in said frame whereby said frame is resilient, a radial hole in said frame at the place of said split for the passage of said winding stern, a base, a recess under this base for receiving said winding crown, and means whereby said base engages portions of the frame close to said split, the whole in such a way that said portions of the frame are pressed one against the other by said base, so that said frame acts resiliently on the clock-work for holding it in place.

3. In a small clock, a clock-work, a back for this clockwork, a crystal for this clock-work, a surrounding member constituting a frame in which are located said clockwork, back and crystal, a split in said frame whereby said frame is resilient, a base, two extensions of said base which engage portions of the frame close to said split in a mortise-and-tenon like joint, the whole in such a way that said portions of the frame are pressed one toward the other by said extensions, so that said frame acts resiliently on the clock-work for holding it in place.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

